Tool for removing auto body dents and the like



13% 1963 B. HALL, JR, ETAL TOOL FOR REMOVING AUTO BODY DENTS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 7, 1961 sswNlE H fi fi fiR ROBERT H. INDORF ATTYS.

United States Patent Oflfice IidldA-iii Patented Dec. 10, 19b? 3,113,478 TGOL Fill REMOVHNG AlUTG BQDY DENTS AND THE LIKE Bennie Hall, Jr., Al man, and Robert H. llndort, Barherton, glhio, assignors to H ll "Ecol Development Cornpany,

Filed Dec. 7, 1961 .Ser. No. 157,731 4 Claims. (ill. 81-45) This invention relates to apparatus for removing dents from automobile bodies or other sheet metal structures, and, more particularly, is concerned with a tool of the indicated type which can be employed for removing dents when only one side of the sheet metal can be engaged.

In automobile body repair work excellently operating tools are now available commercially for removing dents from fenders or other sheet metal portions when both sides of the sheet metal surface can be reached. Such known tools usually include an anvil carried at one end of a C-shaped frame, the other end of the frame carrying a pneumatic hammer, and with the tool being operated by positioning the anvil on one side of the sheet metal surface and with the pneumatic hammer engaging the other side.

However, in automobile body work where it is possible to reach only one surface of the sheet metal, as on the side of automobile body, it has been the usual practice to fill in with molten lead any indents in the side of the body, followed by smoothing the lead down, then sanding, priming, and painting the filled-in surface. This will often require a great deal of lead to be used, and this is expensive, but, in addition, a high degree of skill is required.

It is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other ditliculties and objections to prior art practices by the provision of a relatively inexpensive, easily operated tool for rapidly and effectively removing or smoothing indents, concave depressions, and the like from an automobile body or other sheet metal member by means operable from one side only of the sheet metal surface.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tool of the character described including a plurality of differently shaped footer portions adapted to be secured to one side of a sheet metal surface and having a stem received in looking but quickly releasable manner in a chuck carried by an elongated rod having a handle at its end remote from the chuck, the rod slidably supporting a weight which can be pounded against either the handle or the chuck.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a chuck in apparatus of the character described, the chuck having a body portion adapted to be secured to an elongated rod, a pair of jaw. members having integral T-shaped leg portions of rounded cross section pivotally received in rounded transverse grooves in the body portion of the chuck, the body portion of the chuck rotatably carrying a collar having sharply rising cam portions engaging with the jaws to move the jaws to and from locking engagement \with a stern upon limited rotary movement of the collar.

The foregoing objects of the invention, and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by the provision of apparatus for straightening auto body dents including a footer having a portion adapted to be secured to a dent in an auto body or the like, a stern secured to and extending from the footer, the stem having a circular groove therein remote from the footer, a chuck having a body portion, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on the body portion and adapted to releasably engage in the groove in the stem,

spring means carried on the body and normally holding the jaws apart, a collar rotatably mounted on the body, means limiting the rotary movement to about ninety degrees, cam faces on the inside of the collar engaging the outer portion of the jaws for forcing them into locking engagement with the groove in the stem when the collar is turned in one direction and for releasing the jaws from he stem when the collar is turned in the other direction, an elongated rod having one end secured in the body portion, a handle on the other end of the rod remote from the body portion, and a weight slidably mounted on the rod and poundable against either the handle or the body portion.

For a better understanding of the invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view of a tool incorporating the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal, diametric cross-sectional view of the chuck incorporated in the apparatus of FIG. 1, and taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 but drawn on a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are other forms of footer and stem portions forming a part of the apparatus combination;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the chuck, on a smaller scale, with the collar removed and. the T-shaped leg of a jaw; and

FIG. 8 is a view of another form of foster and stem portion, drawn on a reduced scale.

Having particular reference to PEG. 1 of the drawings, the numeral ill indicates an elongated rod secured at one end to a chuck, indicated as a whole by the numeral 12, and at its other end secured to a handle, as by a threaded connection 16, as illustrated. The end of the handle 14 remote from the rod ill may have an eye 18 threaded therein to allow the tool to be hung up.

A weight 2% of handle-like cross-sectional shape is slidably mounted upon the elongated rod it) for sliding and pounding movement either against the handle 14 or against the chuck 12.

To protect an operators hand on the handle 14 from impact by the weight 29 a circular washer 22 is held against the end of the handle by a nut 24 threaded on the rod it and locked in place by pin 25.

The chuck i2 removably locks on a stem 26 secured to a footer 23 which can be soldered, brazed, welded or otherwise connected, as for example to the concave bottom of an indent 3b in a piece of sheet metal 32. The footer 23 is in this form a flat plate usually having a plurality of holes therein to facilitate brazing or soldermg.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate other forms of stem and footer assemblies adapted to be removably received by the chuck 12. Both FIGS. 5 and 6 are on slightly greater scale than the stem as shown in FIG. 1, as will be understood. In FIG. 5 the stem 26a is formed with an integral right angle leg or flange 28a which can be hooked into a hole punched in the side of the sheet metal, or which can otherwise be secured to the sheet metal, the stem 26a being formed with a circular groove 34a adapted to be engaged by the jaws of the chuck 12.

FIG. 6 illustrates a stem 26b secured to a footer 28b comprising a plate formed with a plurality of holes therein for facilitating the securing of the footer 23b, by soldering, brazing, and the like to a sheet metal surface. The stem 26b is formed with a circular groove 34!; adapted to be engaged by the jaws l2.

FIG. 8 illustrates a stem 2 0 secured to or formed integrally with a C-shaped frame carrying an anvil or footer 230. With this tool, when chucked into the apparatus, it is possible to reach behind fenders, dashboards, and the like and pound or pull out dents, concave depressions, etc., without the necessity to mar the outer surface by soldering on a footer plate. In order to hold the frame at the desired angle a pin 29 is normally provided which fits in the diametrical space 31 between opposed faces of the jaws 50.

FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings illustrate in greater detail the construction of the chuck 12 as including a body portion $6 formed with a threaded bore 38 at one end into which the threaded end of the rod is secured. A locking pin 40 is preferably provided to additionally secure the body portion 36 onto the end of the rod 16 and to keep the body from unscrewing.

Pivotally secured to the body portion 36 of the chuck are a pair of jaw members each indicated as a whole by the numeral 42. Each jaw member 42 is formed with a leg portion of T-shape, the cross bar 44 of the T extends transversely and the leg .6 of the T extends longitudinally. FIG. 7 illustrates this arrangement with the collar of the chuck removed and with the jaw portions of the jaws 42 being broken away. The inner portions of the cross bar of the T are made half-round, as seen in FIG. 2, and are received in half-round transverse grooves 43 formed in the body portion 36. The leg of the T is received in a longitudinally extending groove 47 cut in the body 3*,

Each jaw 42 is provided with a half-round jaw portion 50 adapted to releasably lock in the circular groove 34 formed in the stem 26. The body portion 36 has an integral axially positioned box 52 extending between the jaws 42 and formed with a transverse bore slidably receiving a compression spring 54 tending to normally hold the jaws 42 apart.

Rotatably mounted upon the body portion 36 is a collar 56 having a flanged end 58 engaging with the reduced diameter end 60 of the body portion 36, and with a snap-in spring washer 62 engaging down in a groove in the reduced diameter end 60 of the body portion to rotatably secure the collar 56 on the body portion 36.

T o rotatably limit the movement of the collar 56 on the body portion 36, as best shown in FIG. 4, a spring detent 66 is carried by the body portion, the end of the detent 66 engaging in either hole 68a or 68b drilled diametrically through the collar 56, to releasably lock the collar in the locked position.

FIG. 3 illustrates that the collar 56 is formed at its end adjacent the jaw portions 50 with triangularly-shaped sharply rising cam surfaces 70 which engage with upwardly extending triangularly-shaped lugs 72 on the jaw portions 50 to allow the jaw portions 50 to move apart when the collar 56 is rotated to allow the lugs 72 to bottom in the cam surfaces 70. FIG. 3 illustrates the collar 56 rotated to move the cam surfaces '70 away from the lugs 72 which then engage with the inner cylindrical surface of the collar to hold the jaw portions 54} of the jaws 42 in locking engagement in the circular groove 34 of the stem 26. In the usual practice of the invention, the jaw portions 56 engage in the groove 34 to hold the stem against axial movement but allowing rotary movement of the stem.

In the operation of the tool a particular stern and footer portion best adapted to perform a selected job upon a sheet metal surface which has been indented is soldered, brazed, or the like by its footer portion to the outer surface of the sheet metal. Thereafter the stem 26 is removably locked in the chuck 12 by the rotation of the collar 56 of the chuck to the position shown in FIG. 3. Now the handle 14 of the tool is positioned in the direction from the sheet metal surface which would appear to best pull out the indent in the sheet metal surface. Sometimes merely pulling on the handle 14 will remove an indent plus pounding around the ridge as the handle is held. More often it is necessary that the weight 29 be slid to strike against the nut 24 engaging the handle 14 to thereby provide a force on the sheet metal which will bring it out to the position desired. Any selected number of bumps can be given by the weight 2% to the handle 14, the handle 14 being moved up or down, or to the right or left, or combinations thereof, so that the force provided upon the rod 1% and the footer 23 will be in the best direction to achieve the result desired. Although most of the blows of the weight 2% will be struck in the direction indicated, there is occasionally a need to strike the weight 20 against the chuck 12, and this canbe done, as well, in order to move the sheet metal to the best possible position.

The footer 28 can then be unsoldered from the sheet metal surface. The surface may then be in condition where it can be sanded down and repainted. Or the surface will be in much better shape for the conventional leading-in operation. Still again, should it be desirable or necessary a differently shaped footer can be secured to the sheet metal surface and additional operations performed upon the sheet metal, followed by the finishing operations. For example, the footer of FIG. 5 can be hooked over an indented door edge, normally with the door closed, and the door edge can be straightened out.

It should be noted that locking the body portion 36 of the chuck 12 to the rod 10 is important because this allows the collar 56 of the chuck to be rotated with one hand of the operator while the other hand is holding the body of the chuck against rotation by gripping the handle 14.

While a certain representative embodiment and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for removing auto body dents and the like including a rod, a handle at one end of the rod, a chuck at the other end of the rod, a weight slidable on the rod and adapted to be pounded either against the chuck or the handle, a short stem of about the diameter of the rod, a footer integral with the stem, and quick release means in the chuck mounting the stem in the chuck so that it is held in alignment with the rod but so that it is free to rotate on its axis in the chuck, said means including a double pair of positively engaging, substantially fully circular shoulders on the stem engaged by the quick release means for transmitting from the chuck to the stem the pounding thrusts of the weight in both fore and aft directions.

2. A tool for removing auto body dents and the including a rod, a handle at one end of the rod, a chuck at the other end of the rod, a weight slidable on the rod and adapted to be pounded either against the chunk of the handle, a short stem of about the diameter 6f the rod, a footer integral with the stem, said chuck including a cylindrical body fixed to the rod, a pair of jaws of T-shape, said body having T-shaped grooves receiving the T-shaped jaws, the cross bars of the T of the jaws and of the T-shaped grooves being half rounded in cross section and pivotally engaging each other, the cross bars of the T-shaped grooves being circumferentially directed and positioned in diametrically opposed position in the cylindrical body, the legs of the T of the jaws extending substantially parallel but diametrically opposed to each other beyond the body and terminating in semi-circular jaw portions removably engaging in a circular groove in the stem, shoulder means on the jaw portions engaging the groove for transmitting both fore and aft pounding forces from the chuck to the stem but allowing rotation between the jaw portions and stem, a; collar mounted for rotatable but non-axial movement on; the body. said 601:

lar holding the cross bars of the T-shaped jaws in pivotal position on the body, said collar extending out over and surrounding the jaw portions and the legs of the T-shaped jaws with enough clearance to allow gripping and release of the jaws, a triangular lug extending radially outwardly from each jaw portion and engaging with the inner circular surface of the collar to hold the jaw portion in the groove, diametrically-opposed triangular notches in the inner surface of the end of the collar to receive the triangular lugs to allow the jaws to move apart and release the stem upon about 90 degree rotation of the collar, means carried by the cylindrical body for resiliently holding the jaws apart and for holding the lugs of the jaws in engagement with the collar at all times, and spring detent means for releasably holding the collar in stem gripping position.

3. A tool for removing auto body dents and the like including a rod, a handle at one end of the rod, a chuck at the other end of the rod, a Weight slidable on the rod and adapted to be pounded either against the chuck or the handle, a short stem of about the diameter of the rod, a footer integral with the stem, said chuck including a cylindrical body fixed to the rod, a pair of jaws of T shape, said body having T-shaped grooves receiving the T-shaped jaws, the cross bars of the T of the jaws and of the T-shaped grooves being half rounded in cross section and pivotally engaging each other, the cross bars of the T-shaped grooves being circumferentially directed and positioned in diametrically opposed position in the cylindrical body, the legs of the T of the jaws extending substantially parallel but diametrically opposed to each other beyond the body and terminating in semicircular jaw portions removably engaging in a circular groove in the stem, shoulder means on the jaw portions engaging the groove for transmitting both fore and aft pounding forces from the chuck to the stem, a collar mounted for rotatable but non-axial movement on the body, said collar holding the cross bars of the T-shaped jaws in pivotal position on the body, said collar extending out over and surrounding the jaw portions and the legs of the T-shaped jaws, cam means between the collar and the jaws operative upon about a degree rotation of the collar for gripping or releasing the stern, and means carried by the cylindrical body for resiliently holding the jaws apart and in engagement with the collar at all times.

4. A tool for removing auto body dents and the like including a rod, a handle at one end of the rod, a chuck at the other end of the rod, a weight slidable on the rod and adapted to be pounded either against the chuck or the handle, a short stem of about the diameter of the rod, a footer integral with the stem, said chuck including a cylindrical body fixed to the rod, a pair of jaws of T-shape, integral aligned trunnions on each jaw pivotally carried in the body, the jaws having legs extending substantially parallel but diametrically opposed to each other beyond the body and terminating in semicircular j aw portions removably engaging in a circular groove in the stem, shoulder means on the jaw portions engaging the groove for transmitting both fore and aft pounding forces from the chuck to the stem, a collar mounted for rotatable but non-axial movement on the body, said collar holding the trunnions of the jaws in pivotal position on the body, said collar extending out over and surrounding the jaw portions and the legs of the T-shaped jaws, cam means between the collar and the jaws operative upon about a 90 degree rotation of the collar to grip or release the stem, and means for resiliently holding the collar in the position where the jaw portions grip the stem.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 243,978 Rominger July 5, 1881 415,069 Severance Nov. 12, 1889 415,481 Teubner Nov. 19, 1889 938,534 Whitney Nov. 2, 1909 1,371,750 Fox Mar. 15, 1921 1,379,880 Seaborn Mar. 31, 1921 2,791,926 Guyton May 14, 1957 2,941,429 Mason June 21, 1960 3,030,837 Chartier Apr. 24, 1962 

1. A TOOL FOR REMOVING AUTO BODY DENTS AND THE LIKE INCLUDING A ROD, A HANDLE AT ONE END OF THE ROD, A CHUCK AT THE OTHER END OF THE ROD, A WEIGHT SLIDABLE ON THE ROD AND ADAPTED TO BE POUNDED EITHER AGAINST THE CHUCK OR THE HANDLE, A SHORT STEM OF ABOUT THE DIAMETER OF THE ROD, A FOOTER INTEGRAL WITH THE STEM, AND QUICK RELEASE MEANS IN THE CHUCK MOUNTING THE STEM IN THE CHUCK SO THAT IT IS HELD IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE ROD BUT SO THAT IT IS FREE TO 